My husband and I took this tour with Frankly Charleston Black History Tours after being in town for 3 days. During that time prior to the tour, neither of us could understand how this city worked and we felt like something wasn't quite right. Something was missing and we couldn't figure it out. On the 4th day we met Franklin and he showed us the REAL CHARLESTON! He pulled back the curtain on this neat and clean city that is pretty to look at but doesn't air out its' dirty laundry. Well, he aired it out alright and shone a bright light on all the stories and history that are uncomfortable but that need to be brought out and told. We didn't understand Charleston and it's sanitized representation until we took this tour and then we had our AHA moment. We got it, we saw this city finally! Our tour was comprised of 2 older white ladies, my white husband, and myself, a Latina of mixed origins (Indigenous, Black, European). Franklin gave the history unapologetically, judgement-free, and created a safe space for all of us to absorb the information at our pace. He noticed the interests we had and the questions we were asking and pivoted the tour to show us other things we would learn more from. Make this the FIRST thing you do here in Charleston, period! Don't wait like we did! Come with an open mind, leave understanding this city even more.